Bottle-filling device



(No Model.)

H MEINHARD BOTTLE FILLING DEVICE.

No. 485,803. Patented Nov. 8, 1892.

PIE E EEE Z (/{VITNEEEE 5 METER 26 @M EY ATTRNEY l UNrrnn STATES- PATENTOFFICE;

HENRY MEINIIARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-FILLING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,803, dated.November 8. 1892.

Application led March 18, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY MEINHARD, acitizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinventeda new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Filling Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for bottling beer or other fluids, andhas for its object to provide convenient means in connection withbeer-bottling devices whereby to obviate the danger of breaking bottleswhen the process of bottling is being rapidly conducted.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 'wherein-Figure 1 is a front perspective View of a bottling device withmyimprovement applied Fig. 2, a detail of the improvement or bracket;Fig. 3, a detail of the cushion.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all tigures.

A is a small tank into which the beer or fluid ows from its reservoirand in which the beer or Huid might be supposed to stand at a point,say, half-way up the side. Pivoted upon the lugs B B is the Siphon-tubeC, carrying the weight D and normally resting in f the positionindicated in Fig. l, where its lower end E rests firmly against anelastic cushion F in the lower inner part of the tank. The tube passesout through the slotoropening G in one end of the tank.

II is a bracket, shaped as shown,havingthe side pieces J J, perforatedat K for screws, whereby the said bracket may be secu rely fastened atthe end ot' the tank and about the slot. The bracket when so appliedleaves a sort of aperture between its sides and between the tank, intowhich the cushion L is inserted. This cushion is made of any elasticmaterialas, for example, rubber, though leather or cork could be used.This cushion has a long vertical slot M to coincide in a degree with theslot G, and through both slots a siphon-tube projects. This Siphon-tubehas a lower aperture N.

O is a plate secured t0 and projecting outwardly from the tank andhaving a mouthpiece to receive the top of the bottle.

R is a plate secured on top of the end of the tank and having a lipprojecting over the cushion L.

Serial No. 425,502. (No model.)

The construction and relative arrangement ot the several parts may beconsiderably altered, and I do not lay any stress upon the materialsemployed or suggested, as various materials performing the samefunctions might be substituted for those suggested.

The use and operation ot' my invention are as follows: In the ordinarybottling of beer a device very similar to that shown here is frequentlyused, and the bottles are iilled in the following manner: The tube N ispassedinto the bottle until the head or top of the bottle comes near tothe tank, when the bottle is depressed until its head or the flangeabout the top rests above the plate O, the neck ot' the bottle being inthe recess P. Hero the bottle remains, and since by this motion thesiphontube C is turned about its pivot and its end E is removed from theclosing-cushion F the fluid in the tank will be free to fiow through theSiphon-tube into the bottle, tilling it from the tank. The iiuid willcontinue to flow until the bottle is full, when by removing the bottlethe siphon-t ube will be immediately restored to its position, thegravity ofthe weight D accomplishing this result. Now to perform thisprocess economically requires very rapid working, and it is found thatin practice very man y-in fact, a very large percentage-of the bottlesfilled or used will be more or less broken or shattered about the headsor tops by engagement with the tan k, especially as comparatively-careless workmen are frequently employed. Now by providingthe bracket and the cushion about the slot and about the tube, theexposed portion of the cushion being so large"`as to receive the wholeof the top of any ordinary bottle, it is evident that no matter howrapidly the work is done the bottle can never come in contact with thetank proper, and therefore can never thus be shattered or injured. Toremove the cushion and substitute another, it is only necessary torelease the bracket and slide the cushion down along the tube and putanother in its place and restore the bracket to its position. The sameresult may be accomplished by removing the upper plate Rand lifting outthe Siphon-tube, since its supporting-lug is removably attached to theinner part of the tank.

It is obvious that this apparatus may be used for bottling any kind offluid as well as beer, though it is especially designed for thatpurpose.

1. In a fluid-bottling apparatus in which a tube projecting from a tankis employed to supply the Huid to the bottle, the combination, With thetank, of a slotted opening at one end, through which the tube projects,a bracket about such opening and secured to the end of the tank andhaving a receptacle open at one side to hold a cushion, and aslottedcushion adapted to be received Within such receptacle and to permit thetube to pass therethrough.

2. In an apparatus for bottling fluids, the combination of a taukrwith atube projecting therefrom and adapted to supply the iuid to the bottleand abracket on the sideof such tank having an opening of greaterdiameter than the diameter of the head of the bottle to be used, with acushion adapted to rest in such bracket and perforated to permit of thepassage of the tube, the perforation in such cushion being oblong andthe tube being pivoted so as to swing through such perforation.

In an apparatus for bottling uids, the combination of a tank with a tubeprojecting therefrom and adapted to supply the fluid to the bottle, abracket on the side ot' such tank having an opening of greater diameterthan the diameter ot the head of the bottle to be used, With a cushionadapted to rest in such bracket and slotted to permit of the passage ofthe tube and also to permit said tube to have a certain amount of motionthrough the slot, the recess formed by said bracket'being upwardlyenlarged, and a ledge or projection Vabove such bracket to hold thecushion in position.

HENRY MEINHARD.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. GUNTHORP, MARION E. MooRE.

